Question:
"I would also like to congratulate Michael. However, I am
not sure what it means to be ordained as a priest in Nichiren
Shu. Could someone explain the requirements for ordination, as
well as the duties and obligations of a Nichiren Shu priest?
Thank you."
Excellent question. In answer, I'll share with you what I
understand the training, duties, and obligations of a priest to
be:
The Tokudo Initiation Ceremony - The full name is Shukke
Tokudo which means "leaving home & attaining
the Way." It is the first step in becoming a fully
ordained Buddhist priest (bhikshu). In Buddhism,
this is commonly referred to as the lower ordination whereby
one becomes a novice (sramanera). In effect, one is
an apprentice priest under one's master. In the Nichiren Shu
tradition, to take this initial step, one must find a priest
who is willing to take one on as a disciple and who can vouch
for the strength and sincerity of one's practice of the
Buddha Dharma. To be initiated means that one will undertake
the following:
-- To seek enlightenment. While all those who chant
Odaimoku are seeking enlightenment, the one who becomes a
priest has the specific intention to make this the
central driving intention of one's life and to take
responsibility to help encourage the aspiration for
enlightenment in others. It is basically a deepening of
the fundamental aspiration of all Nichiren Buddhists.
-- To make efforts to cut off the ties of relatives. In
other countries, those who become priests will literally
cut off all family ties; however, since the 13th century,
Japanese Buddhism has been more concerned with actual
intentions rather than with living the lifestyle of an
Indian mendicant. It is not expected that one should cut
off one's family ties, rather, one should realize that
seeking enlightenment is a higher priority than the
ambitions and expectations that are commonly a part of
family life. This does not mean, however, that one can
renege on one's family responsibilities in the name of
Buddhism. What it does mean is that the fulfillment of
family responsibilities must be viewed and lived within
the context of the Bodhisattva ideal to save all sentient
beings.
-- To train himself by the monastic rules. Again, since
the 13th century, Japanese Buddhism has not concerned
itself with trying to duplicate the life of 5th century
B.C.E. Indian mendicants. However, one should try to
abide by the spirit of the Vinaya (the monastic precepts)
by living with integrity, courtesy and mindfulness. As
Nichiren Buddhists, we must simply ask ourselves if a
given course of action, speech or intention is in accord
with Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.
-- To wear the robe of the Dharma. If I am not mistaken,
this is a reference to Chapter 10 of the Lotus Sutra
entitled "The Teacher of the Dharma" wherein it
is written:
If you wish to expound this sutra,
Enter the abode of the Tathagata,
Wear the robe of the Tathagata,
Sit on the throne of the Tathagata,
[And after doing these things,]
Expound it to people without fear!
To enter the abode of the Tathagata means to have
great compassion.
To wear his robe means to be gentle and patient.
To sit on his throne means to see the emptiness of
all things.
Expound the Dharma only after you do these [three]
things!
-- To take the Three Refuges. In Nichiren Shu
Buddhism we take refuge in the Original Sakyamuni Buddha
of the Juryo chapter, the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus
Flower Teaching, and the Community of the Bodhisattvas
from Underground led by Bodhisattva Visisticaritra who
appeared in the Latter Age of the Dharma as Nichiren
Shonin.
-- To master the threefold discipline of the precepts,
meditation and wisdom. In Nichiren Buddhism this means
that we fulfill the precepts by upholding the spirit of
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo in all our thoughts, words and deeds
in all situations; that we meditate upon the Gohonzon at
all times so that we can draw upon the serenity and
insight of our own Buddha Nature; and finally to realize
for ourselves the wisdom of the Buddha which is Namu
Myoho Renge Kyo.
-- To depart from the secular life. Again, this does not
mean that we turn our backs on the secular world, but it
does mean that we should be "in it but not of
it" so to speak. In other words, we strive to see
the vanity inherent in secular ambitions and distractions
and strive instead to wholeheartedly see and live the
Buddha Dharma in every situation that we are in.
-- To have faith in the Buddha. This is the same as
having faith in Namu Myoho Renge Kyo for that is the
Truth of the Buddha's life and teachings. To have faith
in this sense is to realize that we can entrust ourselves
to Namu Myoho Renge Kyo and not to seek true happiness
anywhere other than in the Treasure Tower which resides
within the depths of our own lives.
-- To observe the precepts. Again, not the letter but the
intention of the Vinaya. In this case, the Diamond
Chalice Precept of wholeheartedly upholding Namu Myoho
Renge Kyo in all circumstances.
-- To protect the Dharma by upholding the true teaching
and correcting any misrepresentations (slander) of the
Buddha Dharma. Protecting the Dharma also means striving
to strengthen and maintain the community and to share the
teachings with others.
In taking the Tokudo initiation, one is making the
commitment to endeavor in all of these things. In addition,
one is making the commitment to cooperate with one's teacher
in transmitting the Lotus Sutra to posterity, generation
after generation.
After the Tokudo, the new novice is sent to the Docho
Registration at Kiyosumidera (where Nichiren was ordained and
studied Buddhism as a child) at the earliest opportunity. (I
will hopefully be going in April).
For the next few years the novice is expected to study,
practice and develop his/her faith under the guidance of the
teacher. This includes learning to chant the sutra and
learning how to conduct the various services. One will then
be tested in one's ability to perform these services and also
in Buddhist doctrine.
When the teacher feels that the disciple is ready, the novice
will be sent to the 35 day Shingyo Dojo at Mount Minobu,
where one will complete one's training and receive the higher
ordination as a full-fledged priest.
As an aside, I would like to point out that this is open to
women as well as men (in fact there is already a fully ordained
American woman priest who lives in L.A.). Women, like the men,
can also have families and function as priests.
Also, there is no sense in which the priests are considered
superior to the lay people. The key difference is that the priest
have the responsibility to propagate the faith, uphold the
standards of Nichiren Buddhism and perform the various services
that may be required. This is a functional difference and not an
essential one. If there is any "essential" difference
between the clergy and the laity, it would only be in the fact
that the clergy have made a public committment to take
responsibilty for upholding the faith, practice and study of
Nichiren Buddhism for the community, but this does not mean that
the laity can not or should not strive to do the same. Basically,
the role of the clergy is to serve and facilitate the practice of
Nichiren Buddhism for the laity, it is not to practice for the
laity or to in any way act as intermediaries between the laity
and Gohonzon.
Also, in Nichiren Shu Buddhism there is no talk of a "blood
lineage" or any kind of esoteric transmission such as found
in Zen. We all directly inherit the Wonderful Dharma from the
Original Buddha Sakyamuni himself. The Odaimoku is how this
"transmission" from the Buddha to ourselves expresses
itself in terms of our day-to-day lives within the conventional
reality of tradition, culture, geography and history. The
timeless and placeless transmission which is the
ceremony-in-the-air, however, can only be realized each one of us
for ourselves through the awakening of faith in Namu Myoho Renge
Kyo. All the clergy can do is keep this tradition alive so that
others may have access to it, but the clergy do not by any means
hold a monopoly on enlightenment, they simply mark the path and
point to the moon.
As for the Eye-Opening Ceremony, in Nichiren Shu Buddhism only
the priests are trained to perform this and bestow Mandalas upon
the lay-believers. However, this does not mean that they control
the Gohonzon. The Gohonzon can never be possessed, bestowed,
hoarded or taken away. The Gohonzon is the Buddha-nature itself,
the consecrated Mandala merely expresses it for those believers
who wish to enshrine one and who have demonstrated their strong
and sincere practice. The practice of Nichiren Buddhism does
depend upon the Gohonzon, but it does not depend upon the
possession of a Mandala or any other object of worship. The
Mandala's are consecrated only by those who have demonstrated
their correct understanding and appreciation of what they are
bestowing only upon those who have demonstrated their correct
understanding and appreciation of what they are receiving. The
use of the Eye-Opening Ceremony is the time honored way in
Buddhist tradition to officially and mindfully recognize the
possession of the Ten Worlds by otherwise ordinary scraps of
paper and chunks of metal or stone. It is insight into the deep
functioning of the Buddha-nature which transcends even the
distinction between animate and inanimate which matters here, and
not the form or appearance. Preserving the deep significance of
this act and preventing it from degenerating into idolatry or
confusion with the true Gohonzon is the reason that the Nichiren
Shu reserves this ceremony for those who have been properly
trained to do it - namely the clergy. The reservation of the
Eye-Opening Ceremony to the clergy, then, is a form of quality
control in regard to the Mandalas and other ritual objects. It is
not, however, a means of controlling access to the Gohonzon.
Well, that is how I understand the role of the clergy in Nichiren
Shu Buddhism. There are many other things that I could say. I
also might be mistaken in regard to several points. I hope that
in the future, I can correct any mistakes and further clarify the
meaning of the priesthood both for my own sake and for all of
those here on the NBF who would like to understand the role of
the clergy better.
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